A wealthy family. A deadly secret. A young woman with more to lose than she knows.

Josephine Montfort is from one of New York's oldest, most respected, and wealthiest families. Like most well-off girls of the Gilded Age, her future looks set - after a finishing school education, she will be favourably married off to a handsome gentleman, after which she'll want for nothing. But Jo has other dreams and desires that make her long for a very different kind of future. She wants a more meaningful and exciting life: she wants to be an investigative journalist like her heroine Nellie Bly.

But when Jo's father is found dead in his study after an alleged accident, her life becomes far more exciting than even Jo would wish. Unable to accept that her father could have been so careless, she begins to investigate his death with the help of a young reporter, Eddie Gallagher. It quickly becomes clear he was murdered, and in their race against time to discover the culprit and his motive, Jo and Eddie find themselves not only battling dark characters on the violent and gritty streets of New York, but also their growing feelings for each other.

A wealthy family. A deadly secret. A young woman with more to lose than she knows

About the Author

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of thirteen novels and a picture book for children. She grew up in New York State and studied English Literature and European History at the University of Rochester.
Jennifer's first novel, THE TEA ROSE, is an epic historical novel set in London and New York in the late 19th century. Her second novel, A GATHERING LIGHT, set against the backdrop of an infamous murder in the Adirondacks of 1906, won the Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Borders Original Voices Award, and was named a Printz Honor book.
In 2014, Jennifer teamed up with Disney to launch the bestselling WATERFIRE saga, an epic series about six mermaids on a quest to rid the world of an ancient evil.
Jennifer lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, daughter and two rescue dogs. Follow Jennifer at www.jenniferdonnelly.com or on Twitter: @JenWritesBooks

Reviews
An intelligent, personable heroine-Jo Montfort's hopes for an enlightened future uncover a dark past, resulting in a splendidly hair-raising tour of the brightest and darkest corners of Victorian New York. * Elizabeth Wein, New York Times bestselling author of CODE NAME VERITY *
THESE SHALLOW GRAVES delivered all that I adore: lovely prose, historical intrigue, unique chracters and setting. I devoured this book! * Ruta Sepetys, New York Times bestselling author of BETWEEN SHADES OF GREY and OUT OF THE EASY *
A fast-paced Gilded Age crime thriller that plunges its intrepid investigative-journalist heroine into the sordid underworld of nineteenth-century New York City and into her own family's dark secrets * Julie Berry, award-winning author of ALL THE TRUTH THAT'S IN ME *
Murder, morgues, asylums, dirty secrets and a slow-burning romance in this epic historical thriller * Editor's Choice, The Bookseller *
Superbly plotted, suspenseful historical mystery with a great sense of place and a sprawling cast of shifty characters worthy of Dickens. Cracking read! * Peters - Librarian's Pick *
Donnelly's action-packed chapters propel this compelling mystery. Through Jo's sheltered perspective, readers learn about class disparity right alongside her, and Donnelly is as adept at describing an opulent ball as she is a seedy neighbourhood. * Publishers Weekly *
Engaging characters and historical accuracy make clear the appalling conditions endured by the poor of New York and the changing attitudes towards the role of women . . . this well-paced story will satisfy those who enjoy a good mystery. An added element of romance makes this book all the more appealing -- Judy Pomeroy * Inis Reading Guide *
If George Clooney had walked in to the room I would have told him to come back later when I'd finished ... Mattie is a heroine on a par with Jo in Little Women or Cassandra in I Capture the Castle. Donnelly captures period and place with almost supernatural skill. * The Telegraph (Praise for A GATHERING LIGHT) *
This is as brilliantly written as you would expect from Jennifer Donnelly. She delivers a compelling thriller but also a rich thought provoking novel about late nineteenth century New York. This is a novel that will educate young readers as it enthrals them. -- Andrea Regan * School Librarian SLA Journal *
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly is the story of a wealthy family, the wealthiest, in a gilded age where the future is planned. What happens when you want to break away from the future and be independent? With grit, violence and challenge this is a must-read for teens. * Armadillo Magazine *



Book Information
ISBN 9781471405174
Author Jennifer Donnelly
Format Paperback
Page Count 496
Imprint Hot Key Books
Publisher Hot Key Books
Weight(grams) 394g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 130mm * 30mm